Saskatchewan agriculture minister Lyle Stewart is urging cattle producers to sign on to the premises identification database he announced a year ago.
He told the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association annual convention in Regina that about 2,800 accounts representing 4,200 premises have been registered.
“There are still about 10,000 to 13,000 more livestock operations to enroll,” he said.
All poultry, hog and dairy operations have registered.
Stewart said he would prefer producers to voluntarily register before they are forced to do so.
“The ministry is exploring all options, including using PID registration for program eligibility,” he said.
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A single and aligned check-off collection system based on where producers live makes the system equal said Chad Ross, Saskatchewan Cattle Association chair.
“You can expect consultations on these initiatives to begin very soon.”
The federal government has said full traceability will be implemented next year.
“It always seems to be less painful to do it our way than somebody else’s,” Stewart said.
Premises ID is a unique number assigned to a land location that will allow quicker trace-back in the event of a disease outbreak or an emergency and lead to smaller quarantine areas.
“If nothing else, it’s bad optics for the industry to be pushed into doing this,” Stewart said.
Betty Althouse, the chief provincial veterinarian, said PID numbers could also be used to inform producers of threats and help responders plan.
“Any time you respond quicker, it does allow return to normal business much sooner,” she said.
However, she also said the system isn’t as effective as it can be without full participation. It has to be kept up-to-date, she added.
